The inserting, collecting, collating, etc., of additional printed items into printed products, especially into periodicals (e.g., newspapers, magazines, brochures, prospectuses, also books, etc.) has been expanded to other supplements to be combined with a printed product. Supplements in the form of sample bags which contain solid items, e.g., cleansing towels or fluid sample, e.g., cream, paste, liquids, etc., are very popular. The bags normally consist of two blanks of a packaging material mostly of a multilayer plastic or paper film, which blanks are connected with each other all along their edges.
Techniques for handling printed products, e.g., cards, as supplements are known and fairly well developed. The mechanical means are available and high speeds, adapted to the complete process, can be achieved. The handling of sample bags, in the largest sense of the word, however causes a new range of problems. Sample bags generally do not have a defined form. They can have the form of cushions thus not being flat as desired and often not even being outwardly cambered in the same places. If the contents are fluid, the form of the bag changes each time it is handled. Furthermore, the handling is even more difficult because the sample bags are usually made of a plastic with a smooth, sliding surface such that friction which is normally helpful for stacking is very small. Stacks or bundles of sample bags are not stable and thus difficult to process, especially with high processing speeds.